Rashid Kalimullin was born on May 6, 1957 in Zelinodolsk, Republic of Tatarstan. In 1985 he graduated from the Kazan state conservatory, and in 1987 he did the assistant training course. Composer R.Kalimullin one of leaders of modern musical process in Russia, an outstanding musician whose compositions are performed in many countries of the world with success: Europe, the USA, Japan, Korea and others. He is the winner of international competitions - 1987 Dresden (Germany) the first premium, 1994 Vienna (Austria) the first premium, the winner of the premium him D.Shostakovich - he is chairman of the Union of composers of Republic of Tatarstan (since 1989), the secretary of Union of composers of Russia (since 1995).

 

Working in the most different musical genres (opera, symphonic and chamber compositions, choral music, songs) the composer originally interprets them, experimenting with various performing structures and techniques of writing. Bright national originality, an alloy of east and western musical traditions the individualities are inherent to Rashid Kalimullin.

 

"I consider Rashid Kalimullin as a modern composer who manages not to lose his hearing of that sincere space which is outside of reality. Thus he gives us the opportunity to touch that world which is absolutely incomprehensible if it is not presented through the hearing of the very talented artist...", said the outstanding contemporary composer Sofia Gubaidullina about Rashid Kalimullin.

 

The compositions by Rashid Kalimullin are constantly performed at various festivals. The premieres of the majority of works were held abroad in performance by known collectives: "Krauss-quartet", the ensemble " Music Viva " (Germany)," of Arditti-quartet" (England), the ensembles "Signus" (USA), "Vox" (Sweden), the Japanese flute player K. Hirosi, the German oboe player P. Veale, the Dutch pianist K. Viringi, the American musicians R. Pollock (piano), K. Levain (flute), Ph. Bashor and others. Many compositions are written by the order of the foreign performers.

 

Certainly, the remarkable interpreters of the composer's works are Kazan musicians: the State string quartet of Tatarstan Republic, the Chamber orchestras "La Primavera" and "Millenium", the organ player R. Abdullin , the piano player G. Abdullina, the cello player Z. Asadullina and others.

 

R. Kalimullin is the organizer and the chief of the Centre of contemporary music of Sofia Gubaidulllina (2001) and a numerous international festivals of contemporary music held in Russia and Tatarstan: "Europe - Asia" (since 1993), " Mus - Transit" (since 2003).